Windows 10 Fall Creators Update will mix our reality in October

In case you've forgotten, way back in the distant age of this past July, Microsoft announced that it was going to move Windows to a twice-per-year update model. The Semi-Annual Channel is the new schedule, and we're coming up on the six-month mark since April's Creators Update. The next update for Windows, simply titled "the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update," will become available October 17.

Given the rehashed name, you could probably guess that this update isn't bringing major modifications to Windows like the original Creators Update, or last year's Anniversary Update. As we reported before, Microsoft is integrating eye-tracking support into Windows as an accessibility feature, improving the user experience for people with degenerative disorders like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Microsoft is also touting the Fluent Design UI tweaks, improvements to Windows Inking (apparently renamed from Windows Ink), Defender, Game Mode, OneDrive, and a redesigned Photos app.

However, the most interesting thing coming in the October update is probably the baked-in support for Windows Mixed Reality (WMR). Microsoft is vague on exactly what home users will be doing with WMR devices, since there doesn't appear to be much software for the new headsets beyond the Mixed Reality Viewer. Still, Steam content will be coming to WMR. Most every major manufacturer is building headsets for the platform, so it's possible that developers will follow the hardware.

The Fall Creators Update hits October 17. Windows Updates come in broadly-staggered rollouts these days, so some PCs may not actually get the new features for a while. If you want to make sure you have the latest version as soon as possible, you may want to hit up Microsoft's download page.